GLP-1 Therapy and Exercise for Obesity

Inclusion Criteria: * i) obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 30 kg/m2) * ii) decreased physical function (Modified Physical Performance Test score 17 to 31) * iii) approval of their primary physician to participate in this study. Exclusion Criteria: * i) unstable weight (\>4% change during the last 2 months before entering the study) * ii) ≥150 min per week of structured exercise (e.g., jogging, activities that cause heavy breathing and sweating) * iii) diabetes * iv) significant cardiopulmonary disease (heart failure, angina, uncontrolled hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or other organ dysfunction (e.g., renal insufficiency \[eGFR \<30 mL/min/1.73 m2\]) * v) therapy with a GLP-1 or other weight loss medications * vi) clinically significant gastric emptying abnormality or chronically take drugs that directly affect gastrointestinal motility * vii) history of chronic or acute pancreatitis * viii) thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) \>1.5X the upper limit of normal (patients receiving treatment for hypothyroidism may be included provided their thyroid hormone replacement dose has been stable for at least 3 months) * ix) history of significantly active or unstable Major Depressive Disorder or other severe psychiatric disorder (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other serious mood or anxiety disorder) within the last 2 months that would interfere with study participation * x) acute or chronic hepatitis, or other liver disease other than Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) * xi) family or personal history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 * xii) history of active or untreated malignancy or are in remission from a clinically significant malignancy (other than basal- or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ carcinomas of the cervix, or in situ prostate cancer) for less than 5 years * xiii) tobacco use, excessive alcohol intake (≥3 drinks/day for men and ≥2 drinks/day for women) or active substance abuse with illegal drugs by self-report, or regular marijuana use within 3 months of enrollment and unwilling to abstain from marijuana during the trial * xiv) Use of medications that are known to affect the study outcome measures or increase the risk of study procedures and that cannot be temporarily discontinued for this study * xv) have had bariatric surgery or plan to have endoscopic or bariatric surgery therapy for obesity * xvi) anemia (Hgb \<10 g/dL) * xvii) Conditions that render subject unable to complete all testing procedures (e.g., severe ambulatory impairments, limb amputations, or metal implants that interfere with imaging procedures; coagulation disorders) * xii) history of seizure disorder * xix) Female who is pregnant, breast-feeding or intends to become pregnant * xx) allergy or hypersensitivity to GLP-1 RA medications * xxi) unable to grant voluntary informed consent * xxii) unable or unwilling to follow the study protocol or who, for any reason, the research team considers the participant is not an appropriate candidate for the study